{"id":102491,"date":"2019-10-25T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-25T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2019\/10\/feature_pokemon_sword_and_shield_producer_junichi_masuda_explains_why_we_dont_have_a_fish_and_chips_pokemon_yet"},"modified":"2019-10-25T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-10-25T17:00:00","slug":"feature-pokemon-sword-shield-producer-junichi-masuda-explains-why-we-dont-have-a-fish-chips-pokemon-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/10\/25\/feature-pokemon-sword-shield-producer-junichi-masuda-explains-why-we-dont-have-a-fish-chips-pokemon-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: Pok\u00e9mon Sword &amp; Shield Producer Junichi Masuda Explains Why We Don&#8217;t Have A Fish &amp; Chips Pok\u00e9mon Yet"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a6971b982b5db\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a6971b982b5db\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<div class=\"youtube\">[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rCtot5KIBxk?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1&#038;w=900&#038;h=507]<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Recently we were invited down to The Pok\u00e9mon Company International&#8217;s European headquarters in sunny London to not only have a good old look at the upcoming <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/pokemon_sword_and_shield\">Pok\u00e9mon Sword &amp; Shield<\/a><\/strong>, but also have a chin-wag in person with Junichi Masuda, the games&#8217; producer, and a similar (if rather more digital) natter with Shigeru Ohmori, director of these latest entries. It&#8217;s available in both moving picture form and written form for those with silence on the brain.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Nintendo Life: First of all, Ohmori-san, Masuda-san, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We\u2019ve known that the eighth generation of Pok\u00e9mon games has been in development for some time now. When did development begin and how did the team adapt to the newer, more powerful hardware of the Nintendo Switch?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san<\/strong>: So really we got started on developing this game as soon as we\u2019d finished with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/pokemon_sun_and_moon\">Pok\u00e9mon Sun &amp; Moon<\/a><\/strong>, at the time a lot of the development team were busy and moved over to the development of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/pokemon_lets_go_pikachu_and_lets_go_eevee\">Let\u2019s Go, Pikachu! And Let\u2019s Go, Eevee!<\/a><\/strong>, so we used that as a sort of stepping-stone while we gathered more and more people to work on this project. As this was sort of the first main-series new project after moving over on the 3DS to the Switch, something that was really hard to come to grips with was the new power we had at our disposal, particularly in a graphical sense; we could express a lot more on the characters\u2019 faces and things like that, and it, of course, comes with added cost and things as well, so there was a lot to get right with the team, and so we all had to muck in and work together hard to make sure we used everyone\u2019s skills in bringing this game together.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Galar Region clearly draws inspiration from where we are right now, the British Isles. We\u2019ve already seen a direct representation of England in Alcremie, and Wales in Sirfetched. Can we expect similar treatment for the other locales, such as Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and perhaps even some of the smaller islands that dot our coast?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san:<\/strong> There\u2019s been a lot of research going into making the region and the Pok\u00e9mon for this game, and we\u2019ve been around and seen all the different areas that we could, implemented different bits and bobs from that, but instead of making more of a strict representation of one part of the country or one specific aspect, we\u2019ve rather gone at this from a different angle thinking \u2018what sort of design would fit the UK as a whole?\u2019. So in terms of finding out specifically what Pok\u00e9mon are in the game we\u2019re going to have to ask you to wait and play the game for yourself when it releases and hopefully enjoy what you discover.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"Dims\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/212f1be9c9417\/dims.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/static.nintendolife.com\/blank.gif\" data-original=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/212f1be9c9417\/dims.900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dims\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Masuda-san, I can see you&#8217;ve got the three starter Pok\u00e9mon with you, or at least their initial evolutions. Right now which one is your favourite?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Masuda-san:<\/strong> That\u2019s a really hard decision, but at the moment I\u2019m thinking I\u2019ll go for Scorbunny, but I may well have changed my mind by the time the game comes out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In the past you\u2019ve mentioned you\u2019ve been working to improve the balance of the games; it\u2019s no secret that a vast majority of Pok\u00e9mon have historically not been viable choices in competitive Pok\u00e9mon battles. How have you taken steps to increase the number of Pok\u00e9mon that would be useful in competitive situations?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san:<\/strong> Of course one thing we\u2019re always keen to make it so that there\u2019s a larger variety of Pok\u00e9mon that can and want to use, but of course things like pre-evolutions are necessarily weaker than the later evolved forms. This time we have the Dynamax feature, which means you can give any Pok\u00e9mon a chance to Dynamax in battle, which hopefully may inspire people to broaden the number of Pok\u00e9mon that they use and explore possibilities with Pok\u00e9mon that they haven\u2019t used before using the Dynamax feature.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"Okemon Sword Shield Galarian Weezing Feature\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/40720d432d15e\/okemon-sword-shield-galarian-weezing-feature.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/static.nintendolife.com\/blank.gif\" data-original=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/40720d432d15e\/okemon-sword-shield-galarian-weezing-feature.900x.jpg\" alt=\"Okemon Sword Shield Galarian Weezing Feature\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Following the announcement that not all Pok\u00e9mon previously featured in the series will be appearing in Sword and Shield, certain fans\u2019 reactions were not at all positive. How did the development team feel upon hearing this negative response?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Masuda-san:<\/strong> So of course this is a decision we didn\u2019t just land on by happenstance, we thought long and hard as a whole team about what the best approach for this game was, and this is the decision we ultimately came to. We\u2019re always thinking about how we can make the very best experience for the game we\u2019re currently working on, and the best way that fans can really get to grips with and enjoy that game. We ultimately came to the decision that this is the best way to go for this game.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Regarding the Pok\u00e9mon that have made the cut in the games, are there any specific criteria that had to be met in order for their inclusion to be solidified?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san:<\/strong> This is a really difficult aspect that we have to get to grips with when designing the regional dex. The way we go about this is the same as with previous generations, so when we were deciding what Pok\u00e9mon to include in Kalos of Alola. We really look at what Pok\u00e9mon would best fit that sort of region, so we think hard about that, and that\u2019s the main criteria when deciding what we pick.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"Switch PokemonSwordPokemonShield E3 Screen 01.0\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a4c23e70cd0db\/switch-pokemonswordpokemonshield-e3-screen-01-0.original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/static.nintendolife.com\/blank.gif\" data-original=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a4c23e70cd0db\/switch-pokemonswordpokemonshield-e3-screen-01-0.900x.jpg\" alt=\"Switch PokemonSwordPokemonShield E3 Screen 01.0\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><strong>When creating a mainline Pok\u00e9mon game, how much attention is spent on creating new mechanics such as the Dynamax and Gigantamax systems?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san:<\/strong> Really we think of different ideas at the start of the project and discuss with the designers about how we can bring these different ideas to fruition, but it doesn\u2019t really start and end there, it\u2019s something that you constantly revisit throughout the project with game balance and things like that, so from the start to finish we\u2019re constantly thinking about what sort of new features will work and how we can make them happen.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Many fans are fond of Mega Evolutions such as Mega Beedrill; can we expect Mega Evolutions and Gigantamaxing to marry in some form to preserve these newer, more powerful versions of some of our favourite Pok\u00e9mon?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san:<\/strong> Well, if a Mega Evolved Pok\u00e9mon also Dynamaxed, they\u2019d probably be crazy strong, so this time around what we\u2019d really like to see is people playing around with the Dynamax feature and really enjoy that, and see what they can do there so they won\u2019t necessarily have to Mega Evolve as well. This time around we really want people to get to grips with the Dynamax feature and enjoy what that has to offer.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture strip\"><a title=\"PSS 8.7 11 1 1280x720\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8c41cf3089f95\/pss-8-7-11-1-1280x720.original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/static.nintendolife.com\/blank.gif\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-original=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8c41cf3089f95\/pss-8-7-11-1-1280x720.900x.jpg\" alt=\"PSS 8.7 11 1 1280x720\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Lastly, and most importantly, why hasn\u2019t a fish &amp; chips-themed Pok\u00e9mon been announced already?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Masuda-san:<\/strong> I really like fish and chips, and I\u2019ve eaten a lot of it, to the point that I\u2019ve discovered that the flavour wildly varies between different shops. As for making fish and chips into a Pok\u00e9mon, it\u2019s fish and it\u2019s chips, and I can\u2019t really think of a great way to combine the two into a single creature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ohmori-san, Masuda-san, thank you for speaking with us today, it&#8217;s been excellent.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em>This interview has been lightly edited for readability. Thank you to Masuda-san and Ohmori-san for talking with us and The Pok\u00e9mon Company as well as Nintendo UK for arranging the interview. You can point your eyes towards our thoughts about the games after playing them by travelling through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nAsEJgpMmfs\">this link right here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rCtot5KIBxk?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1&#038;w=900&#038;h=507] Recently we were invited down to The Pok\u00e9mon Company International&#8217;s European headquarters in sunny London to not only have a good old look at the upcoming Pok\u00e9mon Sword &amp; Shield, but also have a chin-wag in person with Junichi Masuda, the games&#8217; producer, and a similar (if rather more digital) natter with Shigeru [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102491\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}